Author archives

For those who missed out on the excellent smelt dip-netting in the Cowlitz River you can still find one final option to the south. Just across the border in Oregon the Sandy River a tributary of the Columbia River will be open for smelt on March 7 and March 15 from 6 a.m. to noon each…

Here is the latest fishing report from Dave Graybill, longtime Eastern Washington outdoor radio host and angler: The big news is that there are excellent catches of kokanee being made on Lake Chelan. My buddy Shane Magnuson and his friends put a total of 58 of them on his boat last Saturday. He was fishing near Mitchell Creek,…

Razor clam digging has been excellent this week, and clam enthusiasts can head to Long Beach and Twin Harbors from Friday to Sunday; Mocrocks from Friday to Sunday; and Copalis on Saturday. Digging will be allowed during low tides from noon to midnight each day. “Digging was excellent over the weekend with largest crowds we’ve seen…

The unseasonably warmer weather has many anglers seeking to bolt out the door in search of some good trout fishing. The good news is a few local lakes have received early plants of trout like Rattlesnake Lake in King County got 4,089 trout on Feb. 11, which is open year-round and is catch-and-release only with selective…

COLUMBIA RIVER REGIONAL FISHING REPORTS Weekend Fishing Opportunities: Steelhead angling was fair in The Dalles and John Day pools last week. Effective Jan. 1 through March 1, 2015 sturgeon retention is open in the Bonneville Pool. The catch guideline for Bonneville Pool is 1,100 legal white sturgeon. Boat anglers are catching a few legals. Effective Jan….

The Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby is Friday to Sunday (Feb. 20-22), and covers more than 500 square miles of salmon fishing grounds, five weigh stations and a $10,000 prize for the largest fish. Tickets cost $40 with sales ending Feb. 18, and no tickets will be sold during the derby. The awards ceremony will be held…

About the author

A Seattle native, Mark Yuasa is a lifelong angler who grew up near the banks of Lake Washington and has been covering fishing and outdoors for more than 21 years for The Seattle Times. Read his regular fishing report every Thursday and the outdoor notebook every Sunday.